Let’s face it, most Science Fiction and Fantasy is written for an older audience. Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and others (while great work) are geared towards children who are fine with sitting down to a 900 page book. That can be a problem when the child is a beginner reader or has other issues such as AD/HD. Today I will share some steampunk science fiction Books For Struggling Readers. These have an exciting plot line while being easy to read.
Books For Struggling Readers
I did a search for Science Fiction for Struggling Readers and came up with nothing but non-fiction. Joan Brennan has a dedicated blog post for this very topic. She had better luck and came up with about 5 books for struggling readers in both Science Fiction and Fantasy. You can read her list here:
We simply have to do better for these kids. Mass media would have us believe that we have to produce encyclopedic works of fun Science Fiction not just for kids who can’t sit still but for those with flights of fancy in their veins.
A Steampunk Science Fiction Book Series Is Born
A local Nashville author, Leonardo Ramirez says, “I remember sitting in my favorite chair after having this very same discussion with my wife who is a librarian. She had mentioned that she has trouble finding good Science Fiction for kids who struggled not just with comprehension but suffered from a lacking interest in reading. After two hours of scribbling ideas down on proverbial paper, my 10-year-old daughter came down and simply said, “Daddy, why don’t you write a story about two kids who rescue their dad on another planet?” Now all of us were involved in the effort. Additionally, it wasn’t enough for me to create a setting in a genre that is popular at the time. I wanted something new and different. It had to be Steampunk.”
And indeed, he did end up writing a steampunk science fiction book series, The Jupiter Chronicles, which I ended up reading with my kids not long after I moved to Nashville.
What is Steampunk?
Steampunk is a sub-genre of Science Fiction where events during the industrial revolution were slightly altered. Electricity was never invented and everything runs on steam. Highly-advanced futuristic machinery such as steam-powered robots or flying machines are commonplace so you have a mixture of both past and future in one setting.
The Jupiter Chronicles: Steampunk Science Fiction
When I asked Ramirez to share about he starting writing his book series to begin with, he said, “I wrote The Jupiter Chronicles to help satisfy the need for short Science Fiction works that are good for beginner readers and struggling readers. After the book released it was then time to experiment. One of the fun tools we employed to get kids reading was Readers’ Theater at my wife’s school. They sure had a blast. We also talked about writing ideas down for a story and creating interesting characters. And yes, there were plenty of special effects. After I left, I learned that kids who normally aren’t interested in reading came in to the library begging for the book. The experiment worked. Kids with a low attention span have been reading The Jupiter Chronicles and wanting more. As an author, that’s all I can ask for.”
Visit Leonardoverse: Science Fiction for the Human Condition for more info.
My kids started with Steampunk fiction and moved onto Fantasy fiction. They read 1,000 page books for fun and have fabulous imaginations. It all starts with nurturing their interests in books when they are young.
What do you love about Science Fiction books?
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Lisa Nelson says
Wow…wow…wow! My kids do not struggle reading, but I’m totally getting this book. While I do not like science fiction, I think it’s important to expose kids to different things. Who knows, maybe my oldest will love it.
Things like Harry Potter, in my opinion are not only too old – but just too scary.
Thanks for this!
Harv Griffin says
Scarlet & Lisa!
I don’t know about reading for children. But I do know that I had completely lost interest in books when I entered Junior High. With half an hour to kill I wandered the shelves of useless in the library, and stopped at I, ROBOT by Isaac Asimov. I read the first short story, and the ending made tears fall down my cheeks. I read the rest of the book, then wanted to read anything Asimov; later, almost any science fiction would do me; later I discovered fiction in other genres and then eventually non-fiction. But it all started with one sci-fi short story: ROBBIE, about a little girl and her robot playmate.
Of course, now with Siri and Google Glass and 3D printers, science fiction seems more like CliffsNotes for the Here and Now!
@hg47
Joan Brennan says
Scarlet and Lisa,
Many thanks for including the link to our Help for Struggling Readers blog in your article here. Your information about the Steam Punk series of books from Leonardo Ramirez is excellent—AND enticing for reluctant readers!
We help reluctant and struggling readers each day here at Brennan Innovators, LLC. Phone calls, emails and educational conferences connect us with many parents, teachers, grandparents and other adults searching for tools and strategies to help and serve challenged readers of all ages.
We hope you will visit our website at http://www.FocusandRead.com to learn more about our sensory-appealing and customizable tools (low-tech AND digital) that we provide to help struggling readers from 4 to 94 (with ADHD, dyslexia, autism, low vision and other issues) to focus and read with more success.
Thank you again for your excellent article here! Together we are helping more struggling and reluctant readers around the world!